Wrapping machine



ch. 113, 1925- I M. a. mwcaussam WRAPPING MACHINE Filed 5912i. 15, 1921 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 M. B. FERGUSON WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15. 1921 6 s t -sh t 5 WRAPPING MACHINE Filed se t. l5, 1921 s Sheets-Sheet 4 JPING MACHINE E ifwd $6331..- 1 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 6 W W @MW use - rice- "MILFORD B. FERGUSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNUR OF ONE-HALF TO I EDEVARD I-IAAS, OF BRUOKLYN, NEW YORK.

WRAPPING MACHINE.

Application filed September 15,1921. Serial No. 500,744. J

To ail whomit may concern.

Be it known that I, MILFORD B. FnnoUsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in lVr-apping Machines, of which the following a specification.

This invention relates to wrapping machines, and more particularly to that type of wrapping machine in which articles such as cakes of soap. for example, are enclosed in suitable wrappers.

One of the obyects of this invention 1s to provide a wrapping machine of the above type, in which eilicient and reliable action is combined with durability of construct on and practicability of operation at high speeds.

- tively holding the sheets or wrappers as delivered in proper relation to the article so as to insure the proper commencement of the wrapper folding operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel mechanism for handling the articles to be wrapped during the preliminary wrapping operations, and to provide further driving mechanism therefor to make possible higher speeds of operation than have heretofore been obtained in apparatus of this character.

Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of-construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts as will be exemplified in the structure hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims. I D

In the accompanying drawings, in Winch is shown one of various possible embodiments of this invention Figure 1 is a side elevation of a complete wrapping machine Figure 2 is a vertical section, taken on the line 2-2 of F igure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section, taken on the line 8-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view, taken along the line 1- i of Figure 1;

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line tL-iof Fig. 4.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 55 of Figure 1, Figure 6 is a like section taken on the line G-6 of Fig "ure 1, and Figure 7 is a like section taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 1. these figures being sectional views of the sheet or wrapper delivery mechanism;

Figure 8 is a horizontal section of the machine, taken along the line 8-.8 of Figure 3, and shows in. detail certain of the driving mechanisms;

Figure 9 is a detached view in side ele vation of the article ejecting mechanism and its driving gear, the view showing the sev-- cral parts in one stage of the operation, and Figure 10 is a similar view showing the several partsduring another stage of the ejecting operation;

Figure 11 is a detached view in side elevation as seen from the left in Figure 2 of the driving gear for the article handling mechanism. and Figure 12 is a similar view showing the relative positions assumed by the several parts during the various stages of operation thereof;

Figures 13', 14 and 15 are detached fragmentary views as'seen in Figure 3, illustrating the relations assumed between the wrapper delivery mechanism and the article handling apparatus and associated devices dur ing the successive stages of operation thereof; and

Figure 16 is a view in side elevation on an enlarged scale, illustrating the wrapping operation as completed by the operation of the devices shown in Figures 13, 14 and 15.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of drawmgs.

Referring now to the drawings, and more by the deliverv mechanism above described particularly to Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, it will be seen that I have provided a main frame, comprising preferably the upright standards 20 and 21, to which is rigidly secured in any suitable manner at their upper end a table 22, upon which the several.1nech anisms may. be conveniently mounted. At

one end of the table 22 there is provided any articles carried by the belt 23 in a downward direction, and superimposed one upon the other. A suitable guide plate 27, secured to a standard 28 mounted upon the table 22. is.

positioned with respect to the conveyor belt 23, and its associated pullev 24, so as to form a complementary partof the guiding conduit for the articles delivered to the machine.

The articles as thus delivered and stacked are supported upon the upper'surface of a plunqer 29 mounted above the table 22- on a pair of .quides 30, preferably of circular cross section. and mounted upon the abutments 31 and 32. suitably secured to the table 22. The plun er 29 is adapted to be reciprocated alone the guides 30 by means of the lever 33 pivotally mounted at its lower end upon the cross bar 34 suitably mounted in the standards 20 and 21 and serving also as a brace for the latter. At its upper end the lever 33 is connected bv me ns of the link 35 to the under side of the plunger 29. suitable openings being provided in the table 22 to permit of these connections and of the reciprocatory movements thereof to take place. The lever 33 is oscillated about its pivotal suspension 34 bV means of the connecting rod 36, pivotally connected thereto as at 37 at a point intermediate its ends, the.

connecting 'rod 36 having attached at its other end the eccentric strap 38, more clearly shown in Figure 8..engagin g the eccentric of articles is permitted to advance downwardly until the lowermost article is supported upon the auxiliary table 42, conveniently formed integrally with the abutments 32 supporting the guides 30. Upon a reverse movement of theplunger 29, that is, in a. direction to the right and into the position as shown in Figure 3, the lowermost article of the vertical stack is advanced to the right, and placed in operative position to the wrapper delivery mechanism and to the pockets of the tumbler mechanism to be hereinafter described.

At the right hand end ofthe main table 22, as seen in Figure 1, there are provided two vertically extending posts 43, which, with the posts 25, form the supports for an auxiliary frame mounted at the upper ends of the posts 25 and 43. the auxiliary frame comprising the longitudinally extending frame members 44and 45, at each end of which-are mounted the receptacles 46 and 47, in which are contained the stacks of sheetsor wrappers with which the articles are'tobe enclosed. Suitable mechanism may be provided for discharging one sheet or wrapper at a time from each of the receptacles 46 and 47, and for. delivering the wrappers to the wrapper delivery mecl1 anism positioned substantially centrally between the receptacles 46 and 47. As the SP8. cific a'pparatus employed for thus-discharging a single wrapper from each receptacle does not form part of this invention, it is not specifically illustrated, and will not be specifically described herein.- It will hennderstood that either one or several such recept acles and their associated dischargemechanisms may be provided and-associated wlth the wrapper del very mechanism to be hereinafter described, according as it is dereceptacles'46 and 47 are shown, and in the,

ensuing description it will be assumed that each individual article is to be encased in two. wrappers, the material of which, as will be understood. may be of different character, accordin'srto the nature of the article to be wrapped, or according to the particular con-- ditions desired to be met.

The sheet or wrapper feed 'mechanism for delivering the wrapper to the wrapping mechanism comprises a pair of conveyor chains 48 and 49,, operating upon suitable pairs of sprocket wheels 50 and 51, the latj ter being mounted upon the driving shaft 52, suitably journale'd in the upper frame members 44 and 45 of the auxiliary frame, and the .former being rotatably mounted upon the shaft 53, suitably supported at the lower end of a pair of supporting posts 54 and 55 extending and suitably supported between the main table 22 and the frame members 44 and 45 respectively of the auxiliary mamas frame. The sprockets 51 are rigidly secured to the shaft 52. soas to rotatetherewith and constitute the driving sprockets for the conveyor chains -12"; and 49. The shaft 52 has mounted upon one end thereof a sprocket 56, which by means of the driving chain is in driving); connection with a suitable sprocket mounted upon the main driving shaft 46 ot the machine. As will he more clmrly seen in Figure 2, there i s associated with the conveyor chains 48 and 49 a series or guides for guiding the wrappers or sheets carried in a downward direction by the chains 46 and 49. The gu des comprise a pair of U-shaped members 59 and 60. slidably mounted and adjustably secured to the upright posts and respectively. The U-shaped guides 59 and 60 are adapted to engage the lateral edges of the sheets during their downward travel and ettectively prevent displacement of Moreover, it will be noted that the U-shaped members and 60 are secured by means of the screws 61 extending through suitable slots 62 in the members 59 and 60, so as to permit of lateral adjustment of the U- shaped members in order to accommodate various widths of sheets or wrappers. The chains 48 and 49 are provided at suitable intervals with lugs 63, "more clearly shown in Figure 3, which positively engage the upper edge of the wrapper or wrappers in case more than one sheetis fed to the delivery mechanism, so as to positively carry the wrapper in a downward direction. In alternate spaced relation with the chains 48 and 49 are three vertical guide members 64, the relation of the latter with respect to.

the chains 48 and. 49 being more clearly shown in the fragmentary sectional view in Figure In. this figure it will be noted that the adjaeentedgesor faces of the chains 48 and 49 and of the vertical guide member 64 donot lie in the same vertical planeand the relation with respect to one another is moreover such that a sheet or wrapper indicated as at 65 will be crimped or will be given'what may'in generalterms be called a series of corrugations, the' ribs of which extend in a vertical direction.

gation is made suiiieient so as to give each sheet thus carried downwardly an inherent the wrappers 'in a lateral direction.

- drawings.

The. depth of the crimps or the degree of corru- The guiding bars 68 and 69 V 71, respectively, to a cross bar 79, extending between and secured to the vertical posts 54 and Set screws 73 and 74 in the brackets 76 and 71 respectively are adapted to lock thechain guiding bars 68 and 69 in 64 mounted thereon may thus be moved toward or away from the operative portions of the chains 48 and 49 and may be locked in adjusted position bymeans of the set screws 66 engaging the pins66 and 66 This arrangement permits the guiding bar 64 to be moved to a slight extent toward or away from the"operative portions of the chains 48 and 49 so that the degree otcrimpinn may be adjusted at will,commensurate" with the character or stiffness of the sheet material employed.

Moreover, the guides 64 are preferably adjustably mounted upon the cross members 66, so that they maybe placed in varying spaced relation with respect to one another, and.with respect to the deliverychains 48' and 49, in accordance with the different widths of wrapper desired to be employed. For this purpose the vertical'guide memhers 64are slidably mounted upon the cross member 66, and each may be locked in position thereon by means of a suitable set screw 67, as is clearly indicated inFigure 6 of the At the upper ends of the vertical posts 54 and 55, there is bridged a cross member 75 (see Figure 2). to which are rigidly sc cured two pairs of sheet guiding members, each pair comprising a downwardly extending guiding member 76 substantially in the same vertical plane with thevertical guide 64., as seenin Figure 5, and a. second clownwardly extending; guide member 77, disposed to the rear of the member" 76; The two pairs of guides 76 and"?! are in sub stantial vertical alignment with the U- shaped guides 59 .an'd 60, and are adapted to guide thetlateral edges of the seat into'the Urshaped guides and .60, and into proper relation wlth the remaining guide members,

such as the members 64. These twopairs of guides function -to properly directthe sheets or wrappers from the sheet feeding mechanism, which discharges the latter. *trom the receptacles 46 and 47 into the sheet delivery mechanism, and its'associated guides above described.'

At the lower ends of the vertical posts 54 and 55, there is bridged. a cross member 78 (see Figures 3, and 7), to which are secured the vertically extending guides 79 and 80, and positioned substantially underneath the sprockets 50, so as to form a substantial contin .tion of the rear wall of p the downwardly extending path of the properly guiding the sheets into relation to'the remaining mechanisms.

A pair of V-shaped rests or supports 82 are secured to an inside portion of the main table 22, and underneath a suitable opening therein, so as to be in position to receive'and support temporarily the sheets or wrappers delivered. The rests 82 are adjustable in a vertical direction to accommodate various lengthslof wrappers. These rests 82will be more specifically referred to hereinafter.

The particular apparatus for handling the article with an associated wrapper or wrappers will now be'described in detail. Upon one end of a shaft 83, journaled and driven in a manner to be hereinafter described in detail, is rigidly mounted a yoke 84 (see particularly Figures2. 3 and 4), upon the respective ends of which are adjustably mounted two pairs of jaws 85 and 86. For this purpose the respective ends of, the yoke 84- are machined to be received in. suitable complementary slots, machined in the jaws 85 and 86, as will be seen in Figure 4, the respective jaws being secured to the yoke ends 84 by means of the cap screws 87 operating in suitable slots in the attaching portions ofthe jaws. As will be seen in Figure-3, the jaws 85 and the jaws 86 of the two pairs may thus be adjusted toward or away from one another, so as to accommodate therebetween various thicknesses ol -articles desired to be packaged by the machine.

In order that the articles may be autos matically held between the pairs of jaws,

each jaw member is provided with-a plate 88, conveniently upturned-at its respective ends, and secured to the jaw member 85 by means of four pins 89 looselv engaged in a like number of openings in the jaw member 85, so as to permit relative motion between the gripping plates 88 and their associated jaw members. Suitable springs 90 surround each pin 89 and are interposed between the plates 88 and the associated jaw member, to tend to force the plates 88 of a given pair of jaw members toward each other. Thus, as a single article is forced between the plates 88 of a given pair of jaws, the article will be securely held in position by the springoperated plates 88.

The shaft 83, with its associated yoke 84;,

and sets of jaws 85, and 86, is adapted to be intermittently rotated, as will be more clearly described hereinafter,and in a given position of rest the yoke 84 with its associated jaws will'be found to take the position illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4, and as shown diagrammatically in Figure 13, in which it will be noted that a pair of jaws 85 are brought to rest in substantial alignment with the horizontal path given the articles by the plunger 29, as above described, and will be in a position adjacent to a sheet or wrapper delivered by the delivery mechanism above described, and temporarily resting upon the supports 82. Uponthe' continued operation of the plunger 29 the latter will force an article indicated as at 91 in a horizontal direction from left to right, and across the vertical sheet path as diagrammatically indicated in Figure 13 into the position indicated in Figure 14. During thisoperation the plunger 29 has caused the article 91 to engage the sheet 65 interposed in its path, and to forceboth the .article 91 and the sheet 65 between the plates 88 of the pair of jaws 85, between which plates the article and its associated wrapper are securely held. This operation wraps the sheet about the article'in a manner as indicated in Figure 14. During the operation just described, a device is operative to hold the sheet in proper relation to .in the yoke 84. The sliding yoke 92 isretained in position in the slot 93 by means of a housing 94 (see Figure 3), bridged across the sliding yoke 92 and having interposed between the housing 94 and the sliding yoke 92 a spring 95, adapted to hold the yoke 92in the slot 93. In order that suflicient resistance .beofi'ered by the sliding yoke 92 to its sliding movement within the slot 93, there is interposed between 'the spring 95 and the sliding yoke 92 a friction member 96, which may be of any suitable material, such'as cork, for example. Upon one end of the sliding yoke 92, and extending transversely with respect thereto, is secured a holding member 97 (see Figure 3), and upon the other end of the sliding yoke 92 is mounted a corresponding holding member 98. The holding member 97 is adapted to co-operate with the jaws 85 and extends and moves therebetween, while the holding member 98 is adapted to operate similarly between the jaws 86.

The housing-94 is readily detachable so that the spring 95 may be .easily replaced by one of a diifere-nt stilfne'ss or so that the above'described, during which an article 91 i and a wrapper or wrappers 65 .are; forced between a pair of jaws 85 and held by the associated spring-operated plates 88, the holding member 97 will have a position as indicated in Figure 3, in which it will be seen that the outer edge is substantially coincident with the plane of the outer edges of the plates 88. As the article .91 is force-d to the right, as shown in Figure 3, and as diagrammatically indicated in FigurelS, the article 91 carries with it the wrapper 65-whieh is thereupon securely gripped between the holding members. 97 and the article 91, the latter being positively moved by the action of the plunger 29. During this movement inwardly, the holding member 97 positively maintains, the wrapper 65 in the desired alignment and relation with'the article 91, so that the initial wrapping operation, as shown in Figure 14, is properly'carried out" The degree of gripping of the sheet 65 between the holding member 97 and the article 91 is determined by the resistance offered to the sliding movement of the sliding yoke 92 by means of the spring 95, and the friction member 96 above described.

During these operations the rests or supports 82 may be relied upon to momentarily support the sheet 65, as shown in Figure 13,

but it is to be understood that the employmentof the rests 82 is not indispensable and .that it may be preferable, by reason of the gripping action of the holding member 97, to dispense with the rests 82. Itwill also be],unclerstood that the lugs 63 on the conveyor chains 48 and 49 are properly spaced. and that the operation of the delivery chains is properly timedwith respect to the action of the plunger 29, so that the wrapper 05 will be engaged by the article 91, and the holding member 97, at the proper relative positions thereof, without necessitating material stoppage of the wrapper. Furthermore, by reason of the corrugation of the sheet during its dmvnward travel it will be suiiiciently retained between the guiding members so as to avoid the possibility of the sheet dropping downwardly through the machine and thus to avoid also the necessity for the supports 82.

It will be noted that as the ho'd ng member 97 is pushed inwardly between the jaws 85, by reason of the advance of the article 91 therebetween, the complementary holding member 98, also mounted ,upon the sliding yoke 92, will be pushed outwardly between the jaws 86, and will be positioned in readiness to be operated upon by a succeeding wrapper upon the rotation of the shaft 83, and yoke 84, through 180, which rotation takes place immediately upon the insertion of .an article in its wrapper be tween a pair of jaws.

As above .mentioned, the shaft 83, and itsassociated yoke and sets of jaws, are rotated intermittently through 180. The

Y mechanism for obtaining such intermittent rotation will now be described in detail: The shaft '83 is rotatably mounted in a bushmg 99, which is mounted for vertical adjustment'ina bracket 100 mounted upon the v main table 22 of the machine (see Figures 4 and a). Thebracket 100 is provided with a vertical slot '101, inwhich is received a vertically extending rib 102, integrally formed with the bushing 99, so as to guide the bushing 99 throughout its range .of adjustment. -A hand screw 103 is in threaded engagement with the bushing 99, and is held fromvertical movement by means of a col lar 104,. suitably secured at its lower end and engaging the countersunk opening 105 in the under side of the bracket 100. Cap screws 106, operating in vertically extending slots in the bracket 100, are provided for locking the bushing-:99 in its adjusted position. i

As before noted,"the jaws and 86 are adjustable relatively to one another to accommodate various thicknesses of articles to be wrapped, and the vertical adjustment of the bushing 99 and hence of its associated shaft 83 and j aw-carrying yoke 84:, makes it possible to raise and lower the latter, so that the lowermost jaw, as viewed in Figure 3, will be in alignment with the plane of the auxiliary table 12, from which the articles are forced by the plunger 29, between the jaws. v 1

Referring now more particularly to Figtires-2, 11 and 12, it will be seen that the shaft 83 is driven by means of the gear 107 mounted at its exterior end, and engaging the idler gear108, which places the driving gear 107 in driving engagement with the main driving gear 109, mounted upon a stud shaft 110, suitably mounted in the housing 111, which is conveniently made to encase this train of driving gears see also Figure 8). The intermediate gear 108 is rotatably mounted upon a stud 112, secured to a bracket 113, pivoted upon a reduced portion'114 of the bushing 99. The bracket 113' is provided with an extension 116, which is slotted as at 117, so as to engage the pin 118, rigidly fixed in the housing 111 (see Figure 11). The bracket 113, carrying the intermediate gear 108, is thus free to swing about the axis of shaft 83, and in the positiion illustrated the relation between this I When, however, it is desired to-lower the shaft 83 by means ofthe adjusting screw 103, as above described, the bracket 113 will be swung outwardly about the axis oft-he shaft 83, and will be guided in its outward swing by the pin 1 18 engaging the slot 117.

The proper driving relation of the train of gears is thus automatically maintained for each position of adjustment of the shaft 83.

The intermittent rotation of the shaft 83 it attained by'means of what may be termed- 'a'Geneva stop motion, and, in the embodiment'illustrated, the gear 109 is .mtermit-.

tently rotated throughout. a suli'icie-nt extent to bring about the desired rotation of the shaft 83, and its associated two pairs of jaws.

* As will be seen from Figures 8 and 11, there is secured" to the face of the .gear 109, as

by means of the cap screws 119, what will be termed the follower plate120, which is provided with four radially extending channels 121, spaced 90 apart and formed I by the ribs 122 integrally formed in the space 123.

face of the plate120. The four channels 121 extend inwardly to a central circular Cooperating with the channels 121 in the follower plate @120 is a driving member comprising the cam I disk 124,." having mounted upon its face adjacent to the fol- .lower plate 120a driving roller 125 adapted twice the diameter of the driving gear 107 upon the shaft 83 and the driving mechanism just described is adapted to cause-a rotation of the gear 109 of 90, whichwill correspond to a rotation of the gear 107, and hence of the shaft 83 and the yoke84 of 180. is provided with four notches 128, with which is adapted to operate a locking member 130 mounted upon the end of an arm 131, which is pivoted upon the stud 132,

suitably secured to the standard 21 of the main frame. A spring 133, connected-to the arm 131, urges. the latter, and hence also the locking member 130, toward the periphery of the follower disk 120. A stud 134 in the -.-arm .131- carries a camfroller 135, which is adapted to be engaged by-the periphery of the cam disk 124, and to con trol the position of the locking member 130, with respect to the slots 128 in the periphery of the follower disk.

Upon rotation of the auxiliary shaft 126 in a, clockwise direction, as viewed in Figures 11 and 12,. the locking member 130 The follower plate or disk 120 mounted rotation of the follower disk 120, the simul taneous rotation of the cam 124 having raised the locking member 130 out of looking engagement with the. follower disk.

The cam 124'retains the locking member 130 in the position shown in Figure 12 until the follower disk 120 has assed through a rotation of 90, at which time the driving roller 125 will be moved out of the driving channel 121 and into a central circular space 123. At the same time the cam 124 permits the locking member 130 to come into engagement with the next succeeding locking slot 128 in the follower disk, whereupon the latter is locked in the stationary position until the driving roller 125, in continuing its rotation about the axis of theauxiliary shaft 126, is again ready for driving engagement with the next succeeding radial driving channel 121.

The extent of the driving channels 121 and the throw of the driving roller 125 are so proportioned that the follower disk will audits associated wrapper or wrappers will be thrust into a pair of jaws 85 during the pause in the clockwise rotation of the yoke 84, an'd itstwo. sets of jaws, and that immediately thereafter the clockwise rotation of the two sets of jaws takesplace so as to 'carryt-he inserted article and its wrapper through 180, and into position to be operated upon by the' ejector. During such rotative movement the guiding plate 81 '(see Figures 3 and'14) functions to smooth or fold the unfolded end of the wrapper into the position indicated at 65 in Figure 14. As the rotation throughout the 180 approaches itsend, thewrapper end 65 (see Figures 3 and 15) is engaged by a pivotally and spring-pressed tightening member 136.- The 'member'136 is preferably composed of a material like leather, for example, which may exert asubstantial frictional action upon the wrapper, and is mounted upon a plate 137, which is Pivotally mounted upon the pin 138 in the bracket 139 mounted upon the: auxiliary frame 140, secured to the vertical posts 43. "'A lever extension 141, rigidly secured tothe plate 137,is engaged by-a spring 142,- so as to urge the tightening member 186m a clockwise direction about the pin 138. The action of the tightening member 136 (see Figures 3 and 15) is to draw the 'wrapper 65 taut about the article 91, the

wrapper end 65 assuming in general the position indicated in Figure and being gripped betweenthe member 136 and the jaw 85 during the ejecting movement given the article. The article 91 is now ready to a be ejected from the jaws, the latter having tion between the two jaws of the pair that happen to be positioned at the right as completed their'rotation of 180. 0

The ejector comprises a bar 143 (see Figures 2, 4, 9 and 10) mounted for reclprocaeccentric 151, to which it is connected by means of the eccentric strip 152. The eccentric 151 is mounted upon the main driving shaft 40 of the machine.

The eccentric 151 is so positioned upon the shaft 40 that it causes a forward movement of the ejector bar 143, as soon as the rotasition by passing between the two pairs of jaws 85 and 86, during their rotation, rather than between the jaws of a single pair, as was the case during its ejecting operation.

Upon being ejected from the right-hand pair of jaws, as above described, the article 91 (see Figure 15)is forced between a pair of blades 140 and '153and the wrapper end folded into" the position shown in Fig ure 16. The remaining tucking operations now take place, but as these form no part of this invention they ferred to herein.

A pair of tucking blades 154 (see Figures 3 and 4) are vertically reciprocated by means of the bars 155 suitably guided in the main frame and operated by means of the link 156, pivoted upon the auxiliary shaft 126 and oscillated about its pivot in proper timed relat'ion with respect to the other mechanisms by means of a. cam 157 operating upon the will be but briefly re- I cam roller 158 mounted upon the arm 156.-

These blades 154 tuck in the two upper ends of the wrapper, whereupon the rotary tuck- .ing blades 159, mounted'upon the shaft 160 and driven by means of a sprocket 161, operate to complete the next step of the tucking operation, whereupon the stationary folding blades 16?. complete the folding up of the tucked ends of the wrapper and deliver the completely wrapped article tothe conveyor belt 163' operatively positioned 'at the dis charge end of the machine. These 'latterop-. erations are well understood 1n the art, and

are therefore not set forth in detail herein. It will thus be seenthat there has been provided in this invention an apparatus in which the'several objects above pointed out,

as well as others, have been obtained and in winch many advantages have been achieved. It will further be noted that an apparatus has been provided which is capable of ex tremely high speed of operation by reason of the positively acting wrapper delivery mechanism employed, and by reason of the relative timing allotments, as determined by the driying mechanisms above pointed out to the various functions performed by the article handling jaws or mechanisms. As

hereinbefore pointed out, the rotation of thesets of jaws through the desired extent of 180, which is the case where only two sets of jaws are employed, takes place during a substantial or major part of a single revolution of the main driving shaft. The minimum time space allotment has beenmade in which the operations take place while the parts are stationary, so as .tofpermit a greatertime interval during which the rotative movements may take place, all as related to a single revolution of the main driv ing shaft. Hence a higherrate of speed of the main driving shaft is made possible and a corresponding increase in the capacity of the apparatus. It will furthermore be noted that this invention has provided an apparatus which isof positive action throughout, and which is distinctly practical in nature.

As many possible embodiments maybe made of the above invention, and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth is to be interpreted as illustrative and-not in a limiting sense. a

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the class described,

in combination, an intermittently movable ing an articleand a wrapper along. a predetermlned fixed path into one of said receiving means and between the jaws thereof,

and means for adjusting said work carrier with respect to said predetermined path to .align the jaws of said receiving means with said path upon a pause in the movement of said carrier, said adjusting means heingoperable without disturbing the driving means for said work carrier.

2. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, article receiving means, means formoving an articlento said receiving means, a moving'd'elivery chain for positivecarrying a wrapper into the path of said article, whereby said wrapper is partially folded around said article as said article -1s moved into-said receiving means and means operative upon a wrapper and adapted to give the latter. a greater resistance to bending thereof than is inherent inthe wrapper itself.

. 3. In apparatus of the class described, in

combination, article receiving means, meansfor moving an article into said receiving around said article as said article ismoved means, a ',delivery chain provided with means for'engaging a wrapper for moving said wrapper into the path of said article, whereby' said wrapper is partially folded into said receiving means, means for crimp Ting said wrapper to prevent bending there,

of, and means for operating said chain in r timed relation to said moving means.

4a. In apparatus of the class described, in

combination, article receiving means, 'neans for moving an article intqt. said receiving means, means for po'sitioni n a wrapper in the path of said article, whereby said wrapper is folded around said article as said article is moved into said receiving means,

means associated with said article receiving means'and having less width than the thicliness of said article for engaging and holding said wrapper in relation to said articlev as said article and said wrapper are moved into said receiving means and separate means adapted to by-pass said holding means for ejecting said article with said wrapper from said article-receiving means.

5. In apparatus of the class described, in

combination, a pair of article-receiving means, means for moving an article into one of said receiving means, means for successively posltloning said pair of receiving means to sald article-moving means, means for positioning a wrapper in the path of said article whereby said wrapper is part-ially' folded around'saidarticle as the la t-' ter ismoved into one of said receiving means, a pair of members each associated with one of said receiving means and each adapted to engage and hold said wrapper in relationto said article and to be moved therewith throughout the extent of move.-

ment of said article into said receiving means, means rigidly connecting said pair of members whereby the movement of one of said members by said article positions the other in the other receiving means in wrapper-engaging position and a substantially continuously moving ejector acting in. advance ofthe other of said members and in the saidnther receiving means for ejecting an article with its associated wrapper therefrom.-

6.- In apparatus combination, I a pa'irv of article-receiving means, means for moving an article into one of said receiving means, means for Suecessively positioning. said pair of receiving means to said articlemovin means, means for positioning a wrapper 1n the path of said article whereby said wrapper is partial- 1y folded around said article as the latter is moved into one of said receiving means, a pairof members'ea'ch associated with one of said receiving means and each adapted to engage and hold said wrapper in relation to said articleand to bemoved therewith throughout the'extent of movement of said of the class described, in

formoving an article into said receiving means, means for positioning a wrapper in the path of said article, whereby said Wrapper is folded around said article as the latter is moved into said receiving means, meansassociated'w'ith said receiving means for engaging and gripping said wrapper to hold the latter in relation to said article, meansacting independently of said gripping means for subsequently ejecting said article -with said wrapper from said receiving means, and means for ad usting'the grlpping actionof said wrapper engaging and grippmg means. 8. In apparatus of theclass described, in

combination, a pair of article-receiving means, means for moving an article into one of said receiving'means, means for successively positioning said pair of receiving means to said article-moving means, means for positioning a wrapp'erin the path of said article whereby said Wrapper is partially folded around said article as the latter is moved into one ofsaid receiving means, a

in combination,

pair of members each associated with one of said receivingmeans and each adapted to.en-

said member and in the other of said receiving means for ejecting an article with its associated wrapper therefrom.

9. In' apparatus of the class described, in combination, article-receiving means, means for moving an article into said receiving means, means forming .a path for guiding a wrapper into the path of said article, means for moving a. wrapper along said path, and means associated with said guiding, means for temporarily crimping said wrapper in the direction of said path.

10. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, article-receiving means, means for moving an article into said receiving means, guiding means. for guiding a wrapper into a position interposed between said moving means and receiving means whereby said wrapper is folded around said article as the latter is moved into said receiving means, means for moving a wrapper along said guiding means, and means for making a plurality of corrugations in said wrapper and extending in the direction of movement of said\vrapper, said means being operative prior to the positioning of said wrapper between said receiving means and said moving means.

' 11. In apparatus of the class described, article-receiving means, means for moving an article into said receiving means, means forming guides for conducting a wrapper to an interposedposition between said moving means and said receiving means, and a plurality of bars as sociated with said guiding means: and arranged out ofalignment with one another for crimping said wrapper during its movement along said guiding means.

12. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, article-receiving means, means for moving an article into said receiving means, means forming a guide for conducting a wrapper to an interposed position between said moving means and said receiving means, a conveyor chain associated with said guiding means for positively moving a wrapper into said interposed position, and a pair of bars one on each side of said chain and placed out of alignment therewith for making a crimp in said wrapper interposed betweensaid chain and said pair of bars.

.13. In apparatus of the class described,

in combination, article-receiving means, means for moving an article into said receiving means, a pair of guides for con ducting a wrapper to an interposed position between saidreceiving means and said moving means, and a conveyor chain interposed between said pairof guides and positioned out of alignment therewith for positively moving said wrapper interposed between itself, and said pair of guides, said chain and said pair of guides placing a crimp in said wrapper during its move ment along said guides.

14. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, article-receiving means, means for moving an article into' said receiving means, guiding means including a pair'of bars and means interposed between said barsand placed out of alignment therewith for placing-a crimp in a Wrapper interposed tlierebetween, said guiding means acting to guide a Wrapper to a position interposed between said article-receiving means and said article-moving means, means for moving a 'wrapper' along said guiding means, and

means for varying the extent to whichsaid pair of bars and said interposed means are out of alignment, thereby to vary the degree of crimping of said wrapper.

15. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, article-receiving means, means for moving an article into said receiving means, a pair of bars for guiding-a wrapper to a position interposed between said receiving means and said moving neans, a con veyor chain interposed between said bars and out of alignment therewith for crimping a wrapper interposed between said bars and said chain and for moving said wrapper to said interposed position, and means for varying the extent to which said bars and said chain are out ofalignment thereby to vary the degree of crimping of said wrapper.

16. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, article-receiving means, means for moving. an article into said receiving means, a pair of spaced U-shaped bars for engaging the lateral edges of a wrapper and for conducting said wrapper to a position interposed between said receiving means and said moving means, means for moving said wrapper along said guiding bars to said interposed position, means for distort-ing said wrapper out of its plane to give said wrapper an inherent, rigidity against bendin and means for varying the spaced relation of said two U-shaped bars for accommodating various widths of wrapper.

17. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a plurality of article receiving means, means for moving an article into one of said receiving means, means for positioning a wrapper in the path of said article whereby said wrapper is folded around said article as said article is moved into said one receiving means, a discharg channel, a main driving shaft, means mounting said plurality of article receiving means for intermittent movement thereof to position one of said receiving means in operative relation to said article moving means and another ofsaid receiving means in OPerative relation to said discharge channel, driving connections between said main driving shaft and said mounting means for moving said mounting means and its associated plurality of receiving means throughout a major portion of a revolution 'of said main driving shaft and for permitting said mounting means to be at rest for a minor portion of a revolution of said driving shaft, and an ejector driven from said' main shaft for ejecting said article and its associated wrapper from one of said holding means and into said discharge channel during the pause in the movement of said mounting means. 18. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a rotatable yoke, a pair of article receiving means, one mounted upon each end of said yoke and each comprising a pair of article holding jaws, means for moving an article into one of said receiving, means, means operative upon the com ple-, tion of the operation of said moving means for rotating said yoke to position said other receiving means in operative relation to said article moving means, and a substantially continuouslymoving ejector timed to make; its ejecting stroke upon the completion of said rotary movement of'said yoke and operating between the jaws of said first mentioned article receiving means to eject the article therefrom and to make its return stroke during a subsequent rotary movement of said yoke and between said pair of article receiving means.

19. In apparatus of the class described,

in combination, a plurality of article re.-

ceiving means, means for moving an article into one of said receiving means, meansvfor positioning a wrapper in the path of said article whereby said wrapper is folded around said article as said article is .moved into said one receiving means, a discharge channel, a main driving shaft, means mounting said plurality of article receiving means for intermittent movement thereof to position one of said receiving means in operative relation to said. article moving means and another of said receiving means in operative relation to said discharge channel, driving connections between said main driv ing shaft and said mounting means for moving said mounting means and its associated plurality of receiving means throughout a major portion of a revolution of said main driving shaft and for permit ting said mounting means to be at rest for a minor portion of a revolution of said driving shaft, an ejector for ejecting saidarticle and its associated wrapper from one of said holding means and into said discharge channel during the pause in the movement of said mounting means, and a driving connection between said main driving shaft and said ejector for giving said ejectora substantially continuous movement.

20. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a plurality, of article receiving means, means for moving an article into one of said receiving means, means for positioning a wrapper in the path of said article, whereby said wrapper is folded around saidarticle as said article is moved into said one receiving means, separate mechanism for completing the wrapper operation, a main driving shaft, means mounting said plurality of articles receiving means for intermittent movement thereof to position one of said receiving means in operative relation to said article moving means and another ofsaid receiving means in operative .relation to said completing mechanism, driving connections between said main driving shaft and said mounting means for moving said mounting means and its associated plurality of receiving means throughout a major portion of a revolution of said main driving shaft and for permitting said mounting means to be at rest for a minor portiontof a revolution of said driving shaft, and an ejector driven from said main shaft for ejecting said article and its associated wrapper from one of said holding means and into said completing mechanism during the pause in the movement of said mounting means.

21. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a rotatable yoke, a pair of article receiving means each mounted upon one end of said yoke, a main driving shaft,

driving connections between said driving shaft and said rotatable yoke for giving said yoke a rotation of 180 degrees during a major portion of a revolution of the main shaft and for holding said yoke at rest during a minor portion of said revolution of said main shaft, means for moving an article into one of said receiving means and operative while said yoke is at rest, means positioning a wrapper in the path of said article whereby saidwrapper is folded around said article'as the latter is moved into said receiving means, separate completing mechanism for tucking the ends of said folded wrapper, said yoke being interposed between said article moving means and said completing mechanism, and an ejector operated from said main shaft and operative to eject said article and its wrapper from said receiving means and into said completing mechanism after a subsequent rotation of said yoke and during the following pause thereof.

22. In apparatus of the class described,

' in combination, a rotatable yokefmeans for driving saidyoke, a pair of article receiv:v

mg means, each mounted upon one end of said yoke and each oomprislng a pair of jaws for holding said article, means for adjusting the jaws of each receivingfmeans relatively to oneanother to accommodate articlesof various thicknesses, means for moving an article and a Wrapper along apredetermined fixed path into one ofsaid re ceiving means, and means for adjusting said yoke With respectto its driving meansto align said adjustable jaws of said receiving means-With said moving means.

23. In apparatus of theclass described, in combination, a rotatableyoke, a pair of article receiving means each vmounted upon one end of said yoke and each comprisingfa' pair of relatively adjustable jaws between Which an article may be received, means for moving an article and a Wrapper along a prede termined path into one of said receivingmeans, a main driving shaft,'driving con nections between said driving shaft .and said rotatable yoke'for intermittently rotating said yoke and for successively positioning said. receiving means inoperative relation to said 'article f-andwrapper moving means, and means for adjusting said rotat able yoke vvith respect to said predetermined .path to ahgn said adjustable jaws of said receiving means, with said moving means, said yoke ad usting means being operable ithout disturbing the drlvlng connections between said yoke and said main driving shaft. y

"In testimony whereof, I have signed my nameto this specification' this 8th day of September. v I MILFORD B FERGUSON. 

